
The FSU Libraries serves as a depository for Federal, State of Florida, and United Nations information. Check out the rich history of how we were designated as depositories and other notable events.
Alton Tisdel, Superintendent of Documents, GPO, send a letter to Louis Richardson, Dean of Libraries, to investigate the capacity of FSCW to become a depository library, under Sec. 70, Act. Of Jan. 12, 1895: The law requires that libraries which are constituted depositories of public documents “must contain at least one thousand books other than those issued by the government; that the publications when forwarded shall be made available for the free use of the general public; and that they remain the property of the United States”
(One year later)
Bob Sikes (nicknamed “He-Coon”), United States Congressman from Florida’s 1st Congressional District, writes a letter to the Superintendent of Documents, supporting FSCW’s application for depository status. Note: He-Coon was responsible for making the Eglin Air Force Base (in Valparaiso, Okaloosa County, FL) one of the largest military installations in the world at the time.
Louise Richardson, Librarian of FSCW, responds to GPO with the completed documentation (D-104): “Our library is primarily a college library, but our citizens of Florida and others desiring to use our library have access to all materials we have”. At the time of signing the document, FSCW had 81,292 volumes (Feb. 1, 1941 statistics) not including government publications. There were 3,323 U.S. Government publications (excluding periodicals).
Hon. Millard Caldwell
29th Governor of Florida
1945-1949
Alton Tisdel
Superintendent of Documents
1921-1945
Dr. Edward Conradi
President
Florida State College for Women
1909-1941
Louis Richardson
Librarian (Dean)
Florida State College for Women
1922–1953
Bob Sikes
Congressman
Florida’s 1st Congressional District
1963–1979